For all motor vehicles requiring service, a mechanic may lower or raise a vehicle component from a vehicle housing to or from a servicing level. Due to the weight and size of vehicle components and of the confined space that exists under a vehicle, devices have been introduced in the past to assist mechanics with the task of removing and installing these components. Typical vehicle components requiring the assistance of such devices include fuel tanks, engines, and transmissions.
Furthermore, it is common knowledge that after a certain amount of usage of commercial and recreational vehicles, certain of these automotive components wear down or breakdown and need repair or replacement. Because of the weight, size and shape of such components, and the confined space in which a mechanic must ordinarily work, handling of such components, when being removed or installed is time-consuming, strenuous and dangerous unless a properly designed mechanical device is employed.
A conventional mechanical device such as a saddle adapter or fuel tank adapter, is generally unsatisfactory for this purpose because of its failure to provide adequate support with the resulting danger that the removed component may topple from the device and injure the mechanic. In particular, with fuel tanks, there is the added danger that fuel may spill out of the tank and cause a fire or an explosion. In addition, use of conventional saddle adapter may be objectionable because it requires laborious and time-consuming efforts of the mechanic and usually requires assistance by another mechanic in removing or installing the automotive component being repaired. The additional effort and assistance are necessary because conventional saddle adapters do not provide a means to safely and securely balance the particular vehicle component during servicing or when it is returned to its original position. Further, conventional saddle adapters have four legs for retaining a particular vehicle component. Adjustments may be made at a variety of locations of the leg to accommodate a variety of sizes. However, as each location is adjusted, a dangerous and precarious situation of imbalance can be created if the adjustments are even slightly incorrect. Accordingly, use of these prior-art adapters is costly due to the relatively high cost of labor.
This potential danger may be addressed by having another mechanic assist in adjusting a corresponding location at the same time. However, danger still exists with issues of timing, miscommunication and human error which may nevertheless result in toppling of the vehicle component and injury to the mechanic. This also results in greater cost in that the more people that are required to assist, the greater the labor cost.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus that is safe to use in the handling of vehicle components and lowers costs.